The history of the name Gireart begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the son of Gerard. The surname Gireart was originally derived from the Old German Gerhard which meant spear-brave. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Gireart family

The surname Gireart was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The Gerrard family name, also spelled Gerard and Jarrard, is traced by historians to the grandson of Edward the Confessor (1004-1066). In England the name was first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. Gerard (died 21 May 1108), was Lord Chancellor of England (1085-1092) appointed by William I, and later Archbishop of York (1100-1108.) He may have been with the king's hunting party when William II was killed, as he witnessed the first charter issued by the new king, Henry I of England, a few days later. Windle with Hardshaw in Lancashire was home to the family in later years. "In the reign of Edward III., the manor was held under William Boteler by Peter de Burnhull, with whose heiress the Gerards acquired the property; and this latter family are the present lords. Windle Hall belongs to Sir John Gerard, Bart., at whose annual court lor the manor of Windle, officers are chosen for the township." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Gireart Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Gireart has been recorded under many different variations, including Gerrard, Gerard, Jarrard, Jared, Garrad, Garred, Jarratt, Jarrett and many more.

Early Notables of the Gireart family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include John Gerard (Gerarde) (1545-1611), an English botanist and herbalist, who maintained a large herbal garden in London, eponym of the botanical genus Gerardia; Sir Gilbert Gerard (died 1593), a prominent lawyer, politician, and landowner who served six times as a member of the... Another 139 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gireart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gireart family to the New World and Oceana

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Gireart or a variant listed above: Richard Gerrard, who landed in Maryland in 1634; Gilbert Gerrard, who settled in Virginia in 1643; Elizabeth Gerrard, who came to Maryland in 1650; Susan Gerrard, who arrived in Barbados in 1686.